BAY CITY, MI — A 22-year-old Bay City man is charged with a felony as prosecutors allege he spilled boiling water on his dog, then repeatedly drove over the animal, killing her.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, a Bay County Sheriff’s deputy and a Bay County Animal Control officer responded to an animal cruelty complaint in the area of German and South Mielens roads in Portsmouth Township. A witness called authorities to report they had seen a car drive over a dog as it crossed the road, court records show.

Two days later, Aaron A. Bellor called Animal Control to report that he was the one who ran over and killed the dog, a schnauzer named Sassy, court records show.

On Friday, Jan. 31, a detective interviewed Bellor, who said he had been boiling water and accidentally spilled it on Sassy. Bellor went on to tell the detective he panicked and initially tried putting Sassy in a bathtub, but the dog’s fur began falling off and she was crying, court records show.

Bellor told the detective he then put Sassy in a car and drove to Portsmouth Township. He let the dog out of the car and planned on leaving her to freeze to death, but then called her over to the car and ran over her two times, Bellor told the detective.

Authorities issued a warrant for Bellor on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Bellor on Wednesday, Feb. 12, appeared before Bay County District Judge Dawn A. Klida for arraignment on one count of killing or torturing an animal, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Bellor told the judge that two days after killing the dog, he called authorities to confess.

“I had a guilty conscience about it, I called and I turned myself in,” said Bellor, who added he is not employed, lives with his mom and has no criminal record.

Klida asked Bellor if he knew who owned Sassy.

“I was the owner of the dog,” he said, speaking softly. “I was the owner of the dog.”

Klida released Bellor on a personal recognizance bond and referred his case to the Bay County Office of Assigned Counsel for a court-appointed attorney.